a deuce of a (something)

a deuce of a (something)

An exceptionally bad or difficult thing, activity, or person. This is a deuce of an assignment—I can't understand the first thing about it! Boy, that is a deuce of a haircut. You're going to go out in public like that?

See also: deuce, of

a (or the) deuce of a —

something very bad or difficult of its kind.

1933 John Galsworthy The End of the Chapter It seems there's a deuce of a fuss in the Bolivian papers.

See also: deuce, of